SEATTLE A Whatcom County, Wash., mans friendship and aggressive support for a man convicted in the infamous Enumclaw horse-sex case led to his arrest this week for allegedly operating a bestiality farm just south of the Canadian border, federal prosecutors said Friday.
Douglas Spink, 39, a one-time dot-com millionaire, convicted drug smuggler and horse trainer, was quietly living on a rural property just south of Sumas when he connected with James Tait, who was in a Tennessee jail on a bestiality charge. Tait had earlier been convicted of trespassing in 2005 in the Enumclaw case, in which a Gig Harbor man died after having sex with a horse.
The two mens communications set in motion an investigation that resulted in Spinks arrest Wednesday at the Sumas farm for suspicion of violating his federal probation for drug smuggling. Federal prosecutors and Whatcom County sheriffs officials say Spink also allowed people to come to the farm and have sex with animals.
"They were promoting tourism of this nature for bestiality," Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo said Friday.
When county deputies and federal investigators searched the property they found videotapes that included images of a man, who was visiting the property, having sex with several large-breed dogs.
The man, a 51-year-old British national, was arrested for investigation of four counts of bestiality, Elfo said. He is being held in the Whatcom County Jail in lieu of $150,000, Elfo said.
On Wednesday, authorities took several animals, including horses and large-breed dogs, found on Spinks property into protective custody, Elfo said. Several mice were euthanized, Elfo added.
"At this point we dont know how many people visited this location or how many engaged in illegal conduct," the sheriff said. "Well see as the federal investigation unfolds."
The property, Exitpoint Stallions, is reportedly owned by Spinks mother.
Spink appeared Friday in U.S. District Court in Seattle, where he was ordered held until an April 30 detention hearing.
"These are just allegations," Spinks attorney, Howard Phillips, said following the hearing. "My client said he has not been engaging in bestiality at all."
How and why Spink and Tait came to know one another is unclear, but in court Friday federal prosecutors explained how authorities were led to Spink.
During the phone calls between Tait and Spink, the two men talked about their similar views on animals and bestiality, authorities said.
Spink was so concerned about Taits arrest in Tennessee for bestiality that Spink called his friends lawyers and even pretended to be an attorney himself, said Assistant. U.S. Attorney Susan Roe. The phone calls from Spink came to the attention of police in Maury County, Tenn., who eventually learned that Spink was not a lawyer, but was on federal probation on the drug-smuggling conviction, authorities said.
Maury County Detective Terry Chandler contacted U.S. Probation in Seattle, authorities said. Tennessee authorities turned over recorded jail phone calls between Spink and Tait to authorities building a case here.
Tait, 58, pleaded guilty in January in Tennessee to engaging in sexual activity with animals and was released on probation. As part of his probation, Spink was forbidden from talking with other felons, Roe said.
Facebook
Twitter